Obits – Ruth E. Eklund

Ruth E. Eklund, age 84, longtime Watertown resident, passed away on Thursday, March 14, 2013 at the Grandview Good Samaritan Center in St. Peter.
Memorial service is pending and will be held early summer. Interment will be in the Lake Ripley Cemetery in Litchfield.
Ruth Edith Betty Eklund was born the daughter of Swan and Hilma (Anderson) Hawkinson on Dec. 4, 1928 in Litchfield. She graduated from the Litchfield High School in 1946. Ruth was united in marriage with John Eklund on June 2, 1950 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Watertown, years later they were divorced. Ruth worked as a bookkeeper for the PMA Committees of the Meeker County and Carver County Farm Bureau offices, and worked for Pro-Auto in Waconia and then Universal in Bloomington until her retirement.
Ruth enjoyed reading about WWII and the South Pacific, bird watching, anything Swedish and family genealogy. Ruth was very proud of her Swedish heritage. She especially enjoyed the time spent with her family.
Ruth is preceded in death by her parents Swan and Hilma Hawkinson, brothers and sisters Algot Persson, Bernard McMillan, Les Hanson, Clarence Hawkinson, Evelyn Seiffert, Bennie Hawkinson and Esther Wanderschied.
Ruth is survived by her loving family: children and their spouses Linnea Loberg of St. Peter, Barbara and Stephen Olson of Kasota, Keith and Joanne Eklund of Rockford, Kimberly and Michael Patterson of Cologne; 14 grandchildren Russell Gatton, Heather and Matthew Drahos, Josh Olson and Tamika Bertram, Kate Olson, Jenny Mayoros, Laura and Mustafa Karamagi, Anna Eklund, Christina and Nate Steere, Tony Moser, Jake Moser, Sarah Moser, David Patterson, Brian Patterson and fiancé Jenna Goldmann; Sarah and Krist Kalkes; seven great-grandchildren Ben Gatton, Andrew Gatton, Jackson Drahos, Catherine Drahos, Tyler Sepin, Brooklyn Patterson, Marielle Mayoros; as well as nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Arrangements with the Johnson Funeral Home in Waconia; www.johnsonfh.com.